Process for treating and curing meats and food products.



A. N. BENN.

PROCESS FOR IREATING AND CURING MEATS AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 191e.

Patented Dec. 26, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

A. N. BENN.

PROCESS FOR TREATING AND CURING MEATS AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY2.1915.

,QQS@ Patented Bee. 26, W16.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ULi-bui uuuuuuuuuuuu lluuullulxuu Hull L @www DE mfymf@ 5117055565: Q Aw* 2am,

A. N. DENN.

PROCESS FOR IREATING AND CURING WIEATS AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED hIAY 2. 9I6.

Patenie Dea 26, IQIIS.

A. N. BENN.

PROCESS FOR TREATING AND CURING MEATS AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. 19H5.

Pnnfed Dec. 26, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

' for which l have applications for Q. Fig. 15 is a .plan

ALONZO NEWTON BENN; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS FOR 'IF-EATING AND CURING MEATS AND FOOD PRODUCTS.

mossos.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1918.

' Application filed May 2, 1,916. Serial No. 94,991.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Se it known that 1, ALoNzo NEWTON li-txx, a citizen of the Fnited States,re"

' tion is to' improve the quality, sare waste and loss ot the meat and lessen the cost of its treatment, as will he more readily understood hy the detailed description herein. In a general wav I secure these objects by special means of holding land protecting certain parts oi the products during the process ot' treatment.

l prefer to carry out my vprocess by special apparatus which l have invented and patents under way buty my process may he carried out hy any suitable means or methods.

My process and its merits will be more easily understood after eXplain the preferred form ot the apparatus which 1 use with the process and therefore 1 Will proceed to explain the apparatus first.

Reference will he. had to the accompany-v ing drawings in-which- Figure 1 shows a side elevation of one forni oi" my sn'ioke-house trolleys used in Fig. 2 1s an end carrying out my process. sectional ricw on line Q-Q of Fig. 1. Fig. El is an enlarged end detail showing the end supports tor the smoking cloth. Fig. 4: is a plan of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 is a modiiied form ot some parts of Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 6 is a plan ot the smoking cloth. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. (i. Fig. 8 is an elevation oi one ot' the tension adjuster hooks shown in 1 and 2. Fig. 9 is a plan detail of one the hang-rails of the trolley. F ig. 10 is a section on line, 10-10 or Fig. Si. Fig. 11 is a sideeleyation and 'Fig 12 is a sectional elevation of the shank ot meat when spring adjuster hangers are used. Fig. 13 is a side elevation and Fig.

A14 an end elevation of a modified form of construction from that shown in Figs. 1 and detail of the right end shown in Figs. 13

Fie'. 15.

ot the smoking cloth supporting frame and 14. Fig. 16 is a secdetail on line 16-16 of Fig. 17 is a transverse View on line 17-17 ot' Fig. 15. Fig. 18 is a Sectional end view of a rentilated separator used in connection with the forms shown in Figs. 21 and 22, which has been drawn on a. Very much larger scale than the other figures and is about full size. Fig. 19 is a plan'sectional detail and Fig. Q0 a detail on a line QO-QO ot' Fig. 18 on the same scale as Fig. 18. Fig. Q1 is a` side elevation with parts broken away of another form of smoke house trolleys from those shown in Figs. 1 and '13 and it is especially7 useful for Hat pieces of meat, fish, etc. Fig. Q2 is an end elevation of Fig. Q1. Fig. v28 is a plan of one of the shelves shown in Figs. 91 and 22 with parts broken away and a part of the-shelf loaded With meat. Fig. Q4 is a section on line 24.--24 oi Fig. Q3. Fig. Q5 is a section on line 25 25 of Fig. Q3. Fig. 26 is a transverse riew of spring adjuster heads 47. Fig.` 27 shows a. detail of the fastening of the, Wire screen sheeting for the bottom of the shelves shown in Figs. 21 and Q2. Fig. E28 is a plan and Fig. 29 a sectional elevation of forked ends that may be used for holding the ends of some forms of meat carried by the apparatus. Fig. 30 is a modied form of my smoke house trolley from that shown in Figs. 1 and 13 and in which the meat is supported with the shank downward. Fig. 31 is a transverse end sectional elevation of Fig. 30. Fig. 32 is a plan sectional detail on line 532-82 of Fig. 30. Fig. 33 is a plan sectional detail on an enlarged scale of the fastening at the right end of Fig. 32. Fig. 84 is a. sectional elevation of Fig. 33. Fig. 85 is a plan detail and Fig. 36 an elevation on an enlarged scale of the smoking cloth fastenings'used in Figs. 30, 31 and'32. Fig. 37 is van end sectional detail. elevation on line 27-37 of Fig. 30. Fig. 38 is a side sectional. View of Fig. 37.

Smoke-housetrolleys as generally used consist in general design of Various forms of frame-work supporting a plurality of pieces of meat in various Ways and carried by trolley Wheels running on l over-head. tracks or rails as is common in packing house practice and I also usel thatgeneral character of a trolley but modified in detail to suit the requirements of my process and to better the service and design of such apparatus.

In the. drawing 1 indicates the trolley rail and Q the trolley wheels and. 3 the connecting rod, hook or boltwhieh connects the trolley frame -l proper with the trolley wheel carriersl .3. The general frame work ot' the trolley may be of any suitable forni or construction and is provided with various vertical` horizontal and cross members as needed to meet the fancy of the designer, but I prefer to use vertical end frame pieces G, to which I secure the cross frame members of varying' designs as needed. I have shown inFig. 1 the form I prefer to use for-general work but any other suitable form of construction may be used. F ixed to the vertical G by bolts 7 are the end cross pieces S to which are attached the l0ngitudinal hanging rails Sl provided with series of notches 10 which are adapted to engage chain-links and meat-hanging devices. Several rows of the hanging rails 9 are provided in the same trolley. Fixed by detachable pins 1l to the vertical G are the end supports 12 for the smoking cloth 13, which is secured to the supports by having its ends lapped over and stitched down in a loop as shown by 11 in Fig. 7 which is threaded over the supports. The supports 12 in Fig. 3 are curved as shown, while the modified form shown in Fig. 5 is simply a straight bar 15.

The meat shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is that of hams 1G and they are supported by fastenings 17 which are secured around the ends of the shanks. Intermediately between each ham theI smoking cloth 13 is supported by the adjuster hooks 18 supported by springs 19 hung to adjusting means here shown as chains 2O which are adjustably secured to the hanging `ails 9 in notches 10.

When desired I support the meat by means of the spring adjuster hangers secured directly to the Shanks in any suitable manner and I have here shown in Figs. l1 and l2 to be used in place of the fastening means spring adjusting devices composed of the chain Q1 spring Q2 and hanger hook Q8. In place of the hanger hooks Q3 I ordinarily prefer to (use a tic as shown in Figs. 1 and Q.

The chains :20 and 21 are adjusted up and down as desired by locking different links in the notches 10 of the hanging rails 9 as indicated by Figs. 9 and 10. t

The meat hung as described and shown in the trolley, Figs. l and 2 is thus supported through the medium of the smoking cloth by an elastic tension applied from the bottom and the smoking cloth embraces the meat butt around all of the surface 'where the fibers are exposed in transverse section, which transverse section exposes different classes of lean, fat and sinnous tis-v sues which vary greatly in shrinkage in the treatment. By adjusting the endsupports 12 up or down as desired on the'vertical G and by the adjustment of the chains Q() which varies the tension of the spring 19v on the hooks 1S, any desired portion of the weight of the meat may be supported on the smoking cloth, thus furnishing all of the pressure thereon that may be needed for carr \'ii1g out my process to advantage.

The arrangement of the smoking cloth as described besides holding and protecting the butts ot' the meat as described, also prevents dripping Jfrom one tier of meat to the tier below, which a desideratum. The form of trolleys shown in Figs. 13, 1l, 15. 1G and 17 varies from that which I have list described chiefly in the method of supporting the smoking cloths under the butts of the meat.

In Fig. 1 a spring adjuster for the smoking cloth is provided between each piece of meat,l while in this modified trolley the smoking cloth is supported at the spaces on each side of the/butt in a frame supported by spring tension in the trolley. This frame is made ot' angle-iron members or side rails 2l connected at the ends by cross pieces Q5 to which are secured springs QG supported by adjustable connections in a form of chains Q7. Rods 28 are provided on the sides of the angle-iron frame and supported on these in sliding contact are the curved cross rods 29 over which the smoking cloth 13 hangs.

The smoking cloth is looped over at its ends as before described and rods 30 are threaded through the loops which secure. the cloth at each end. The rods 30 are held in notches 31 of Jfastening irons as indi cated by Figs. 15 and 1G. several notches be` ing provided for variations in adjustment for the length of the cloth.

The smoking cloth will adjust itself over the several rods Q9 and under the butts of the meat sufficiently to furnish the required pressure for the protection of the butts in substantially the same manner as is shown by Fig. 1. l

In hanging flat pieces of meat, etc., of the forms similar' to bacon, side meats, etc., I provide means for supporting and protecting the same without the necessity of hanging it in any way as has been hereto. fore used. This class of meat is usually cut in shape approximately rectangular and I provide means for inducing it to assume that shape as much as possible for that is the most-desirable shape for that elassot1 meat. A

My trolleys for flat classes of meat are shown in Figs. 21, 22 and 23 and are provided with adjustable shelves 33 which are hinged. at 31 to the vertical 6 of the troliey and are supported in position of angularity desired by the adjustable braces 35 hinged at 36 te the shelves and are adjusted by the means of the notches 37 embracing pins 38 in the vert-icals 6 and any desired degree of angu' larity of the shelves may be obtained as is indicated by the dotted line position in Fig. 22.

The bottom of the shelves 33 are made of- 'weight of the load, while the line fabric gives a more even surface for the meat to rest on.

The smoking cloth is spread over the top of the shelf and the meat is laid thereon with the skin side up and the esh side in contact with the cloth and in order to support the edges of the pieces of the meat in vertical lines and not interrupt the treatment of these surfaces, I provide specially constructed ventilated separators 41, ot' which the constructional details are shown in Figs. 18, 19 and 20 and are simply rectangularly faced blocks made of Wire offine mesh 42 supportedover a trame-work made of rods 43 held together by end plates 44 and These ventilated separators are about an inch Wide horizontally and about two inches high vertically from the bottom of the shelf on which they rest, the intention being to have them about as high as one thickness of meat and to vplace these separators on the edges of each piece of meat held on the shelves, the purpose being to allow a tree circulation of the treating gases and heat on the edges of the meat as well as on the top and bottom.

The smoking clothused with this class of meat is indicated by 46 and it passes over the at fleshy side of the meat and up the fieshy edges of it but not over the skin surface and hence it goes between the fleshy side of the meat and the wire screens at all places. Meat of this class before it gets part of the treatment which it receives when in or on the trolleys, yields more or less easily to distortion in shape induced by its supporting means and in order for it to assume thel best possible marketable form I provide some spring adjusters adapted to induce the meat to assume an eXact rectangular outline. These spring adjusters are in the form of heads 47 secured to tlange sckets 48 fixed on l to rods 49 pushed downward b v springs 50 abutting against the top rail ot the shelves 51. The amount of the movement ot' the springs is limited by the screws 52 screwed into the rods 49 and sliding in slots 53 in sleeves 54;A a number of holes are provided in the rods 49 for diil'erent locations for the screws 52 thus permitting variations in the adjustment of the springs 50.

rlhc heads 47 are made ol two pieces, the

ieee. 5G being rigidly secured to the flanged socket 48 while the piece 57 slides longitudi- `b v guide ways formed by over-turned nally on 5G and is held in sliding position edges of the piece as is indicated in Fig. 2t?. This slide adjustment is provided to accommodate different widths or locations ot' pieces ot' meat under the head 4T.

The meat may be arranged on the shelves. in various ways as is indicated by Fig. 225 wherein 5S indicates the pieces which are supported lengthwise across the shelf and 59 the pieces longitudinally disposed.

lVhile I have shown the meat in the drawing located on the shelves with the tlesh side down and the skin side up, in some cases it will be more desirable to arrange it the other way but in all cases the smoking cloths'will be arranged to protect the flesh side of the meat.

The angular adjustment of the shelves is provided to meet the varying conditions required to carry out the process from time to time to suit the different products treated.

lith some classes ot meat it is desirable to support the pieces with the butts upward and the shanks downward, which in some cases produces better shapes to the finished product than when otherwise supported. For supporting meat in this manner I provide means in my trolley as is indicated by Figs. 30, 31 and 32.

A60 indicates the meat with its butts upward and 61 the smoking cloth arranged over the upper ends of the butts in an approximately reversed arrangen'ient Jfrom that shown in Fig. 13. A frame 62 with cross-y rods 63 holds the smoking cloth in about the same way as the frame 24. In place ot' the spring adjusting means for the frame I rely on the weight of the frame and the pressure that I apply in pushing down the frame when it is secured in place by the fasteners after the meat is loaded in. frame G2 I provide a clip G4 hinged at (35 to lug (36 on the ends otl the trame. The clips 64 embrace the vertical (i of the trolley and pins (37 pass through holes 6R in the vertical t3 and also through holes in the ends ot frame 62 whereby the trame is locked down as desired.

In Figs. 30, 81 and T2 I have shown the smoking cloth secured at its ends G9 by being entwined over the end ot the frameand in the embrace ot a double-ended hook see Fig. 35 and Fig. 26.

rlo support the shank ends ot the meat when in a downward position I provide a skeleton trame or trough composed ot' the bottom rod 7l and the side rods T2 connected to the bottom rod by the angular rods 73 and on the rods 72 I provide spikes 7G ior contact points with'the edges ot' the shanks. The ends of the shank bones are rested upon rod 'il and sustain about all ot' the weight ot the meat,

In some cases itniay be desirable instead At each end of of supporting the butts vertically arranged as I have shown in Figs. 30, 31 and 32, to support them in an inclined position depending more or less upon the effect produced by the treatment on different products. To facilitate the holding of the pieces in such inclined positions I provide the forked ends indicated by Figs. 28 and 29, which are adapted to/ The system of meat supply for the people has almost entirely changed within'the short,y

period of time of a single generation, from that of each family or f local community handling and curing its own meat, to that of large centralized industries where a Single packing plant supplies perhaps the requirements of several States. The centralized systems permit the use of processes, methods and apparatus that are impracticable for individual families or small local communities.

of meat and-food supply is suiiiciently keen and the quantity of'production is so large and the price of meat has now arisen to such a high figure that a saving that might have gone unnoticed years Yago now becomes almost a controlling factor in the business and any saving in the quantity or quality of the meat products s uch as that to which my process relates is a valuable factor in the business and in the total general economy of f the country at large, Vso one might say thatv any saving is a large saving.` j

In the treatment and curing of meats as heretofore carried on there has always been defective and unusable portions found with nearly every piece of-meat brought about by the defects in the holding of the piecesor in the method of treating and curing.. Pieces of meat which are held up hy strings, hooks and devices having teeth jaws, etc., develop small distortions that injure the final use and sale of some portions of the meat. The way the meat has been supported in the treatment and curing lhas resulted in developing in the finished product drawn, stretched, shrunken, distorted, burned, cracked, disfigured and damaged portions which injure the `appearance and saleof the meat and lessen its food value and in many cases causing Lsevere losses by parts which tion without-fpractlcall must be eliminated even before sale. With my process as heretofore described these injuries and losses are reduced to the minimum.

In smoking and curing hams according to the methods heretofore used, theV ieshy parts of themeat where the various classes of tissue are exposed shrink' and crack lunevenly l and some of the juices andfats are distilled in varying degree in the different classes of tissue owing to the raw exposure oflthese surfaces of the meat but on the portions of the meat covered by the skin not so muchv variation occurs, the skin being 'a protecting armor lfor these parts. LThe skin covered portions require a longer and more severe treatmentthan do the-`fleshy exposed portions and the smoking and vcuring process which ,is suiiicient vfor the skin covered porfrom the injuries Ihave above described,

has been to inclose` the ham in what is called a stockinet, -which is a knitted structure of j cloth, and is drawn over the entire ham and then the seam or `opening is closed over the butt of the ham by A'having the cloth drawn together and tied ina knotA approximately at the j centering of the -fleshyjportion of the y v ham. Since this st'ockinetcovers the entire' The competition between the larger units ham it affords no v protection to balance against the differences betweeny the fieshy and skin portions of the lham andthe situation still remains wherein the Heshy portions may beover-treated and yet the skin-covered portions undertreated; further where the knot or'closure of the stockinet occurs on the ieshyxportionof the'f butt ya widediference occurs in the treatment of the meat at this .point With my process 'I can so adjust the faults that have'heretofore appeared in the" treatment andhin addition :to thatT I can `so process the product tha-tf1 secure improvement vin they shape, .quality v,and appearance of theme'atnever beforethought possible.

Flat meats ybelffturr' red out with my` process so they ma -b lice'd'for consumpv A single scrap of waste ,outside g.th`,skinfitself Hams andv kindredshapes mayfbe processed with my loofv process giving the fullness, symmetry and fine appearance of fresh meats which materially adds to their' value.

In smoking meats the direct rays of the heat and smoke burn, crack, shrink and injure various portions of the eshy parts but with my process the direct rays are deiected and yet the full benet of the heat and smoke is secured just as eliciently as is possible consistent with the proper process, while with hams which are inclosed in stockinets a large volume of the efficiency of the curing rays and smoke is entirely lost, thereby adding to the cost and time on a relative amount of product as compared with my process.

lVith stockinet protection a relatively expensive covering must be used as compared with my smoking cloth which may be laundried and used repeatedly.

Meats in being processed as described lose some of their juices and fat which drip downward and where this drip is likely to fall on other meat it is a source of injury. IVith my process Vmy smoking cloths arrest and prevent this drip most efficiently.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A process of curing or treating meats which consists in holding in a desired position and protecting the iieshy parts of the product while the skin portions thereof remain free and curing or treating the same While so held andA protected.

2. A process for curing or treating meat food products which consists in binding the softer portions thereof with a holding and protecting covering, While allowing the tougher and self-sustaining portions to remain free and curing or treating the same While the said parts are so bound, held and protected.

3. A process of treating or curing meats and food products which consists in supporting the same in holding devices adapted to shape and protect the softerand more tender portions while the tougher and selfsustaining portions are exposed and treating or curing the same while so supported and held. e

4. A process of treating or curing meats which consists in binding or holding certain portions of the pieces most liable to injury While allowing the self-sustaining portions to be free and curing or treating. the same while so bound or held.

5. A process of treating or curing meats which consists in applying a cloth over the softer parts of the meat to cause those portions to receive the treatment in approximately an equal ratio with the skin covered or tougher portions which remain uncovered and curing or treating the same while the cloth is so applied.

6. A process of curing or treating meats which consists in supporting the pieces in suitable apparatus bearing only on certain parts of the meat which are liable to injury in the treatment of the product, to protect the same and secure desired shapes to prevent waste and improve the quality and then treating or, curing the product while so supported.

7 A process of treating or curing-meats which consists in holding the pieces in positions whereby gravity action during the treatment will cause the deformations induced by the treatment to assume a form desired and treating or curing the meat while so held.

8. In a process of smoking or drying meats which consists in applying pressure to certain parts of the meat to shape and protect those parts from excessive smoking, burning, cracking or drying, while the other parts remain free, and then smoking or drying the product during the application of the pressure.

9. In a process of smoking or drying meats and other food products which consists in applying a spring adjusted contact to certain of the protruding, ill-shaped and infirm parts likely to vbecome damaged, while the other parts remain free, and then smoking or drying the product during the said contact.

10. A process `of treating or curing meats which consists in applying cloths to the softer or more easier damaged portions of the meat While allowing the skin protected portions to remain free and treating or curing the same While the said cloths are applied.

11. A process of treating or curing meats or food products which consists in holding the same in an apparatus adapted to protect and shape the softerl and weaker parts of the pieces and adjustable in relation to the gravity action on the meat during the treatment and curing or treating the same while in said apparatus and varying the direction of the gravity action as curing or treatment proceeds and demands.

Signed in Chicago, in the State of Illinois andthe county of Cook this 1st day of May, 191e.

ALONZO NEWTON BENN.

`Witnesses: j

AXEL AnmioLiir, e "naar d. SAUSER. 

